TUESDAY TIDBITS: 'How 'Bout Them Cowboys?'

By TJ Troup  

Going to begin with the dismissal of Chris Ballard of the Colts. Carlie Irsay-Gordon and her hands-on approach will eventually lead to the Colts being a consistently strong team again, but how long will it take. The Colts have two very talented players that just might be traded, Jonathan Taylor & DeForest Buckner. Buckner has been quoted stating "same old song and dance" ... not sure if I can picture Buckner on stage with Steven Tyler singing one of Aerosmith's signature songs? 

Will go to my grave knowing how important the Defensive Passer rating is each year. At this point in the season, the top 4 teams in this category (Minnesota, Denver, Kansas City, Green Bay) have an overall record of 18-4. 

Yes, will be updating all of you as the season progresses. 

Art: AI

The first half of last night's game was a surgical destruction of the Washington defense. The Niners offense gained 303 yards on 41 plays. Though Washington rallied, the Niners' first-half performance led to victory. 

Over the years one of the league's best rivalries has been San Francisco vs. Dallas, which will take me to a question for all of you, when will Dallas actually hire a defensive coordinator who knows what he is doing. 

Right now the Dallas defense is on pace to allow over 2,500 yards rushing. This will allow me to segue to my historical saga of the week. From October 3rd '88 through the '89 season, Dallas won two of twenty-eight games! October 25th, 1992, was a turning point for the Cowboys as they defeated the Raiders in the Coliseum 28-13 before 91,505 fans to improve their record to 6-1! Steve Sabol honored me by allowing me to serve on the "America's Game" committee. 

Credit: Time-Life

When you watch this chapter you hear Aikman, Irvin, and Norton discuss Jimmy Johnson, and how that magical season unfolded while also discussing the growing pains of the previous three years. The November 16th issue of Sports Illustrated has on the cover "THE D IS BACK IN DALLAS" and Dr. Z tells the tale of Dave Wannstedt and his "No Names for Now" since not one Dallas defensive player was chosen for the Pro Bowl! Cowboy opponents attempted only 345 running plays against them in '92 for a league-low 1,244 yards. 

The real strengths of this Cowboy D was quickness, proper pursuit angles, and sure tackling thus only twice did an opponent runner gain more than 20 yards on a running play all year. Since opponents figured they could not run on Dallas, then lets throw the hell out of the ball against them, similar to Erik Kramer in the playoff loss to Detroit in '91. 

Jimmy Johnson's secondary of Holt, Brown, Everett, Washington, Smith and Horton finished 10th in the defensive passer rating category with a mark of 69.9 (league average was 75.3)this is a far cry from '89 when Dallas was DEAD LAST in this category with a mark of 93.9 (league average 75.6). 

When I met Paul Lionel Zimmerman for the first time face to face was in a hotel in Santa Monica and he did an interview with Ken Norton Jr. which I was allowed to attend. Dr. Z's insightful questions and Norton's candid answers was so unlike the crap you would read/hear from other writers doing interviews. Before I go to the other side of the ball let's end this part of the story with a quote from Wannstedt "The domination is coming, believe me, it's coming, but right now I'm thankful for what we've got."

Much of the film from "America's Game" of the '92 Cowboys shows Aikman delivering strikes to Irvin, Harper, and Novacek or Emmitt darting through a hole, careening off a tackler with surprising strength to keep the chains moving. Dr. Z shared his nickname for the Dallas o-line with me, as he called them "road graders," and boy oh boy were Newton, Tuinei, Stepnoski, Gesek and man mountain Erik Williams just that. 

These five well-coached men were also superb pass blockers. Add to the mix a fullback who could knock the taste out of your mouth in Darryl Johnston and you have an offensive juggernaut. We all know the final result of the '92 Cowboys, and Jimmy Johnson's classic euphoric statement in the locker room at Candlestick, which is the title of this week's column. 

Credit: Time-Life

My question for all of you, is this the best Cowboy team of all-time or would you choose the '71 or '77 Cowboys and why?

Watson, Golden and Kraft Help Take Down Dallas

By Eric Goska

Christian Watson (9), Matthew Golden (0) and Tucker Kraft (85)
combined for 205 receiving yards against the Cowboys.
(photos by Eric Goska)

What better stage than prime time for the Packers’ Big Three to display their wares.

Sunday night, the Cowboys became the latest team to contend with Green Bay’s potent passing attack. That the Texans departed on the wrong end of a 23-13 count suggests they failed to adequately limit the damage the Packers inflicted.

With neither Green Bay nor Dallas gaining traction on the ground – 105 combined rushing yards – both clubs turned to the air. And there, in the night sky, the Packers outdistanced the Cowboys by more than four yards per completion (12.0 to 7.6)

Jordan Love’s receiving corps turned 23 completions into 276 yards. Dak Prescott’s group came away with fewer yards (258) despite more (34) connections.

Jordan Love threw for 276 yards against Dallas.

As has become custom, three receivers stood out for Green Bay. Matthew Golden (104 receiving yards), Christian Watson (64) and Tucker Kraft (37) combined for 205 receiving yards, the fourth time this season the trio has exceeded 200.

Golden (3) and Watson (2) were the only Packers to have receptions of 20 or more yards. Golden (5), Watson (3) and Kraft (2) produced 10 of Green Bay’s 13 first downs passing.

The trio combined for 14 catches and one touchdown (Golden). Twelve of their receptions fueled scoring drives.

Not all went as planned. Golden dropped a touchdown pass in the second quarter and Watson did the same in the third. As a result, Green Bay had to settle for field goals – 25- and 44-yard boots by Trey Smack – on those advances.

Despite those negatives, Love continued to look to his Big Three. Golden (13), Kraft (8) and Watson (8) accounted for 29 of Love’s 40 targets.

Larry Kuciemba, the Texas Cheesehead,
attended the game.

Love has set his sights set on these three receivers since opening day. In most cases, that focus has been rewarded.

Watson, Golden and Kraft combined for 307 receiving yards in Minneapolis. They staked claim to 222 against the Falcons and amassed a season-high 330 in taking down the Bears.

The three lead the NFL with 1,288 receiving yards, 49 ahead of the Cowboys’ second-place trio of CeeDee Lamb (577), George Pickens (428) and Ryan Flournoy (234). Lamb and Co. combined for 183 receiving yards against Green Bay.

In addition, Kraft, Golden and Watson have gained more receiving yards through the first six games of a season than any other trio in Packers history. Greg Jennings (530), Jordy Nelson (413) and Jermichael Finley (321) had held that honor with the 1,264 they collected in 2011.

Fingers crossed, Watson, Golden and Kraft make it through the season intact. As Love has set his sights on them, this confab would do well to take aim at the franchise single-season mark of 3,252 yards established by Nelson (1,519), Randall Cobb (1,287) and Davante Adams (446) in 2014. That trio is the only in Packers history to average more than 200 receiving yards a game over the course of an entire season.

Triple Threats
Most combined receiving yards by three Packers players six games into a season.

Yds   Year     Trio
1,288   2026    Christian Watson (538), Matthew Golden (501), Tucker Kraft (249)

1,264   2011     Greg Jennings (530), Jordy Nelson (413), Jermichael Finley  (321)

1,253   2013     Jordy Nelson (526), Randall Cobb (378), James Jones (349)
1,242   1983     James Lofton (609), John Jefferson (342), Paul Coffman (291)
1,218   1942     Don Hutson (819), Andy Uram (328), Ted Fritsch (71)

1,218   1999     Antonio Freeman (495), Bill Schroeder (458), Dorsey Levens (265)   
1,195   2018     Davante Adams (557), Jimmy Graham (349), Geronimo Allison (289)
1,163   2004    Javon Walker (597), Donald Driver (443), Bubba Franks (123)

Note: Only the top three players from a season are listed. Example: In 2004, Walker (597), Driver (443) and Robert Ferguson (121) also combined for more than 1,100 yards, but only Walker-Driver-Franks are listed as they had the most of any three Packers players that season.

Love Rains Down Fire at Lambeau Field

By Eric Goska

(photos by Eric Goska)

Who says nothing new can come to pass in a rivalry more than 100 years old?

Certainly not the Packers who came away with a unique development in downing the Bears 31-7 at Lambeau Field.

Green Bay relied on its aerial game in sinking Chicago for the 109th time in 211 regular-season meetings. Offensively, the Packers went as far as the arm of quarterback Jordan Love would take them.

And that distance was considerable. As if channeling Zeus of ancient mythology, No. 10 unleashed five thunderbolts that struck deep into the heart of the Bears No.1 ranked defense.

Those haymakers are worthy of a recap.

• 1st quarter—Christian Watson for 42 yards and a TD. Green Bay leads 7-0.
• 3rd quarter—Watson for 53 and a TD. Green Bay up 20-7.
• 3rd quarter—Tucker Kraft for 46 to set up Trey Smack’s 35-yard field goal. Packers in front 23-7.
• 3rd quarter—Matthew Golden races 36 to set the stage for MarShawn Lloyd’s 4-yard TD run. Packers on top 31-7.
• 4th quarter—Golden gobbles up 50 more on a drive marred by Smack’s miss from 43 yards out.

That’s five completions of more than 35 yards in a single game. How many Packers passers have uncorked that many against the mighty Monsters of the Midway?

Scour the archives. You will come up empty.

Until Sunday, no Packer had hit on five against the Bears. No player to wear the Green and Gold even got to four.

Three is the most you will find, engineered by three different quarterbacks.

• Bart Starr connected with Paul Hornung (61), Bob Long (48) and Jim Taylor (41) in a 23-14 win in 1965.
• Lynn Dickey found James Lofton (67), Phillip Epps (45) and Gerry Ellis (40) in a 31-28 squeaker in 1983.
• Aaron Rodgers got there twice: Jordy Nelson (73, 40) and Eddie Lacy (56) in a 55-14 rout in 2014, and Randall Cobb (75), Davante Adams (51) and Geronimo Allison (39) in a stirring 24-23 comeback in 2018.

That’s it. A short list that underscores how rarely lightning strikes for Green Bay in a series that dates to 1921.

Early in the game, an impending explosion appeared unlikely. Love stayed short for most of Green Bay’s opening drive, hitting Kraft for 13, Golden for 3, Watson for 5, Pierre Strong Jr. for 4 and Kraft again for 2 as the Packers reached the Bears’ 42-yard line.

There, Love fired deep to a wide-open Watson and the rout was on. Green Bay remained ahead on the scoreboard for the remaining 50 minutes, 51 seconds.

Like any quarterback, Love looks to make splash plays. He has completed 45 passes of more than 35 yards since becoming a starter in 2023, the second most in the NFL behind Lamar Jackson’s 46 over that span according to a search at Stathead.

As with any passer, Love needs accomplices. Watson, more than any other, has filled that role.

In five seasons together, the duo has clicked 16 times for more than 35 yards. Those long-distance connections have yielded 843 yards and seven touchdowns.

That output is better than what Love has generated with his second and third favorite 36-plus targets combined: Jayden Reed (8-392-1) and Tucker Kraft (7-374-1).

Clearly, this Love-Watson combo bears watching—from fans and defenses alike.

Love’s final numbers on Sunday were impressive: 25 completions in 31 attempts for 367 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 137.5. But missing from that deep-dive accounting was the fact that the 27-year-old became just the second Packers passer to complete five passes of more than 35 yards in a single regular-season game regardless of opponent.

Cecil Isbell is the only other player to have been so prolific. On Nov. 1, 1942, Isbell completed 10 of 21 passes for 333 yards and five touchdowns in a 55-24 blowout of another team from Chicago. Five times did Isbell connect for more than 35 yards against the Cardinals—Don Hutson (38, 73, 65) and Andy Uram (64, 36)—and five times did the recipient of those throws reach the end zone.

Deep Dive

Packers passers who threw four or more passes of more than 35 yards in a single regular-season game.
 

No.   Date                      Passer                   Opponent             Result
 5        Nov. 1, 1942           Cecil Isbell              Cardinals                 GB won, 55-24
 5        Oct. 11, 2026         Jordan Love            Bears                        GB won, 31-7
 4        Oct. 21, 1956         Tobin Rote               Rams                        GB won, 42-17
 4        Oct. 19, 1958         Babe Parilli             Redskins                  GB lost, 21-37
 4        Dec. 22, 2003       Brett Favre              Raiders                     GB won, 41-7
 4        Dec. 5, 2010          Aaron Rodgers       49ers                         GB won, 34-16
 4        Jan. 1, 2012           Matt Flynn               Lions                        GB won, 45-41
 4        Sept. 13, 2020      Aaron Rodgers        Vikings                     GB won, 43-34

Review: Washington Pro Football Encyclopedia by Mike Richman

 by Jeffrey J. Miller

Lovers of pro football history have ample reason to celebrate this year as several new books have hit the shelves (or will be shortly) telling the stories of former players (such as Oakland Raiders legend Phil Villapiano), owners (Buffalo Bills founder Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.), seasons (the first Super Bowl year of 1966), and teams. 

Villapiano’s autobiography, Just Tackle, Baby! (co-written with NFL Films Senior Producer Todd Schmidt) was published a few weeks ago and will be reviewed by the Pro Football Journal in the near future. Wilson’s bio, Ralph C. Wilson Jr., The Conscience of the NFL (authored by the Bills expert and super-fan Greg Tranter), was just released and is already receiving rave reviews.  John Maxymuk’s latest work, Dawn of the Modern NFL: Pro Football in 1966, tells the story of pro football’s first Super Bowl season.  It is scheduled for release in November of 2026.    

One team that is the focus of a historical account is the Washington Redskins/Commanders, one of the longest-tenured franchises of the National Football League. Weighing in at an impressive 608 oversized (8 ½ x 11) pages, The Washington Pro Football Encyclopedia, the latest book by author Mike Richman, provides enough material to keep the average fan reading well into the new year and provide enough factoids for trivia buffs for an eternity.  Published by Lyons Press (an imprint of the Global Pequot Publishing Group), this book is an expanded and revised version of his 2007 effort The Redskins Encyclopedia.  

Mike Richman is considered the preeminent authority on the history of professional football in our nation’s capital. Aside from his previous Redskins encyclopedia, Richman has written Washington Redskins Football Vault as well as biographies of two of the team’s legendary coaches, George Allen (George Allen: A Football Life) and Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs: An Enduring Legacy).  He is a long-time member of the Professional Football Researchers Association, and has published numerous articles in the PFRA’s Coffin Corner magazine.

Mike Richman speaking at the Professional
Football Researchers Association's Western
New York Chapter Conference in April 2025. 
(Photo Courtesy of Mark Palczewski)

The Washington Pro Football Encyclopedia begins with a comprehensive narrative history of the team, which joined the NFL in 1932 when well-to-do laundry magnate George Preston Marshall placed a new franchise in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. The team was originally called the Braves, following the trend adopted in the league’s early years of using the nicknames of the city’s established Major League Baseball teams (in the case, the National League Boston Braves). The team was renamed Redskins a year later and found a new home city when Marshall moved them to Capital City in 1937.  It also includes bios of all the team’s Hall-of-Famers (Sonny Jurgensen, Sammy Baugh, Charley Taylor, Bobby Mitchell, Darrell Green, Chis Hanburger, etc.), along with short bios of more than 100 players who enjoyed standout tenures with the club (Brian Mitchell, Ron McDole, Billy Kilmer, Charles Mann, London Fletcher, Joe Jacoby, Doug Williams, Jerry Smith, George Starke, and so on).

As would be expected in a publication such as this, there are the obligatory all-time listings for every major statistical category, all-time roster of players (over 1,700!), head coaches and assistants, year-by-year records, all-time draft history and more.

This book is exhaustively researched and masterfully written. Richman has a clear, conversational style that is easy to follow. He provides an insightful explanation of the decision to retire the “Redskins” nickname in 2020, after which they were called the Washington Football Team until ultimately deciding on their present name “Commanders” in 2022.  The account is balanced and provides arguments from all sides.

The attention to detail and depth of research required for a book such as this would be enough to scare away a historian of lesser skill and determination. But Richman is clearly up to the task. It is absolutely a must-have for Redskin/Commander fans, and because of its wide-sweeping scope and how far back into the league’s history it goes, should hold a welcome spot on any football fan’s bookshelf.  It definitely has on mine!

You can purchase Mike's book on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Washington-Pro-Football-Encyclopedia-Commanders/dp/1493094173/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title

R.I.P. Mike Ditka, the First Great Tight End

 By John Turney 

Mike Ditka was not the first "tight end" in NFL history, but he was the first great one. The prior  Willard Deveall played the same position as Ditka did in his rookie year of 1961. So if you read reports today of Iron Mike, who passed away today, being the first one, don't believe them. 

In  the past you could find well-meaning but slightly inaccurate lines like these:

• Chicago Tribune, April 20, 2006 ("Bears' last true tight end: Ditka"): "Ditka practically invented the position."
• GQ / Rich Cohen, October 2013 (the Monsters of the Midway material): "Mike Ditka was the first modern tight end." 
• Bleacher Report, January 21, 2012: "The modern day NFL tight end was truly born in the 1961 draft" when the Bears took him.
• Tyler Dunne, The Dispatch, October 15, 2022, framed as him "the birth of the modern NFL tight end."

He was not those things, not even on the Bears, to the degree those authors seam to mean (there was some equivocation), but he was first in many ways. He claims to be the first tight end to flex out. He certainly did line up outside in his rookie year, especially versus the Rams, as a slot, but ends did that before, too.

What is known is he was the first tight end of the tight end era to gain 1,000 yards receiving in a season. All ends were pretty much tight in the early 1950s, in the T-formation. It would be a question of degrees. Pete Pihos, Tom Fears, Elroy Hirsch, Bob Boyd and others even before them were "tight," and some had ends or halfbacks/flankers outside them. Football changes are not like an on-and-off light switch; changes in schemes or personnel are more like a dimmer switch, going from off gradually to on.

But what is for sure is that Ditka was the first tight end to be voted to the Hall of Fame. He was the first tight end to be All-Pro because the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) created a slot for the tight end position, as did the Detroit News.

What Ditka was, and this is enough, was the first tight end who forced the rest of the league to treat the position as a receiving job.

In 14 games as a rookie, he caught 56 passes for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns.  The 12 receiving TDs was tied by Jerry Smith in 1967 and then again by Todd Christensen in 1983 (in sixteen games) and in 1999 by Wesley Walls, also in a 16-game season.

Finally, in 2004 future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates bested it by recording 13 TD receptions that year.

The 1,076 yards stood as the rookie mark until 2024, and his 76.9 yards receiving per game is still number one among rookies and 15th among all tight ends in a single season. His 56 receptions stood as rookie record until 1988 by Keith Jackson, again, in a 16-game schedule.

In 1964 he caught 75 passes, a tight-end record that stood until Kellen Winslow's 89 in 1980. He retired after 1972 with 427 receptions, then the most by a tight end, 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns.

Clearly, he was ahead of his time, first or not. And in that sense, he did help "change the game," a phrase often thrown out there, but not always deserved. Ditka's level of success did seem to cause a shift to teams throwing more to their "Y" end. 

He won a title as a player with the 1963 Bears, caught the last touchdown of Super Bowl VI when he grabbed his second right, coached on the Cowboys' Super Bowl XII staff, and coached the 1985 Bears to Super Bowl XX. He was the first Hall of Fame player to win a Super Bowl ring as a head coach. 

He was a member of the  NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. 

But those are the numbers. What was more remarkable is how he played the game. He was truly fearless, and truly tough. Said NFL writer John McClain, "In the ultimate tight end, if you wanted a blocker and a pass catcher who would strike some fear in the defense, there's never been anybody like Mike Ditka."

Fellow Hall-of-Famer and teammate Gale Sayers told NFL Films: "He blocked like a madman. I liked that in him, because I knew that I could depend on Mike."

Players he coached respected him. One, Mike Singletary, to the Los Angeles Times in 1985: "I believe Mike Ditka represents us, in more ways than one. We know he's not coaching the Chicago Bears because he needed a job. The Bears mean something to Mike Ditka. The team is part of him."

Roger Staubach: "We really needed that kind of leadership that Ditka brought. No one wanted to mess with 'Iron Mike.'" And, at the 1971 players' meeting after the Bears loss: "Mike was instrumental in getting us to be a Dallas team that wasn't going to back down to anybody."

Ditka, on how he played, "I always thought that if you hit the guy more often than he hit you and you hit him harder than he hits you, then eventually you're going to win the fight. I played the game for a long time, and nobody played the game harder than I did."

That sums it up.

Today his family said in a statement, "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka, while the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family. "Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever."

His beloved team, the Chicago Bears, released this statement: "Mike's impact on the Chicago Bears organization, over decades as a player, coach, and proud icon and ambassador for our organization, is immeasurable. His integral role in bringing world championships to our city and our franchise, both as a player and as our coach, established prominence and excellence at a world-class level, but also created a lifetime of cherished memories in the hearts and minds of Bears fans that will last for generations ... "

The Bears retired his uniform number 13 years ago, stating it would be the last number ever to be retired by the club

."'Iron Mike' brought an unrivaled level of toughness to an era already defined by physicality,but he also was much more gifted as a pass catcher than many realized and became the ideal player for Coach George Halas to reimagine the tight end position. Mike brought competitiveness and a hard-nosed play style as he developed into both a fantastic blocker and someone who could punish would-be tacklers on his receptions.

"He brought that same philosophy to his coaching, leading the famous 1985 team that paired with one of the most vaunted and dominant defenses in NFL history with a top-ranked offense. Mike's captivating personality and leadership qualities will be preserved and celebrated forever in Canton."

--Hall of Fame president and CEO Jim Porter

In his NFL career, he played for the Bears, Eagles and Cowboys and was a head coach for the Bears and Saints. He was an advocate for the retired players who he felt were getting shortchanged by the NFL and NFLPA. That caused tension between him and NFL Commissioner and NFLPA president Gene Upshaw.

He didn't care. He had tiffs with everyone: fellow players, fellow coaches, players he coached. Players he didn't coach,

That was his way. Speak your mind, back it up with action. It had been that way since he was an All-American at Pitt, and even before. 

Mike Ditka was an icon. And will be missed.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "A Stone Cold Killer"

By TJ Troup 

When you find a writer who entertains/educates you just might want to read what he has to say in the future. At ESPN.com Kevin Seifert's column on the Vikings being 4-0 was insightful. Watching Minnesota play defense under the guidance of Brian Flores is just damn entertaining, and so far very successful. Since this is the division I follow the most, I have a question for you folks—do the Vikings make the playoffs this year? 

Brian Flores

Seifert talks about how important the kicking game is, and will be for the Purple Gang, thus Will Reichard's role/performance the rest of the season. Quoting Harrison Smith, "a stone-cold killer. " Reichard has made 55 of his last 60 field goal attempts. 

Seifert stated the last team to start 4-0 with an offense that was not scoring was the 1923 Chicago Cardinals. No, youngsters did not see Paddy Driscoll and the Cardinals play in person that season. That Cardinal team finished 8-4, losing a key game to the Canton Bulldogs 7-3 later in the year. 

Paddy Driscoll, Chicago Cardinals
Colorization credit: PFJ

Those Cardinals played strong defense in the four losses (allowing only 34 points). This coming Sunday the 11th marks an anniversary of an achievement that must be appreciated. October 11th, 1998 Terrell Davis gained 208 yards rushing on 30 carries in the 21-16 victory over Seattle. 

Since the Broncos are defending SB champs the foremost question is will they join the select group of teams to repeat as champions, and possibly whether Davis rush for over 2,000 yards. When you watch the '98 Broncos "America's Game" chapter done by NFL Films, we hear from Davis, Sharpe, and Schlereth. While all of them do a commendable job, none of them talk about the offensive strategy designed by Coach Shanahan. 

Why did Shanahan use slightly wider offensive line splits than other teams? How often do we see McCaffrey in the slot to the short side of the field and have Davis run toss sweeps that way? Many, many times we see a runner break through the line behind crisp solid blocking, yet how many times do we see a runner advance so far into the secondary before facing an opponent attempting to tackle?

 Sharpe was a rock-solid blocker using his strength/athleticism, while Rod Smith was effective at staying on his block, but Ed McCaffrey was by far the best receiver of his era at downfield blocking. Watching film of the '98 Broncos is a joy for those folks who enjoy the running game. There is a reason that Denver began the year 13-0. 

What is that reason you ask? 

How many teams in NFL history scored 300 points in the 1st half during a campaign? Playing with the lead, then getting the ball back to run out the clock. The sound of the clock ticking while you have the lead and the ball is a joy. The best sound we all know is the gun signalling victory. NFL Films ranked this Denver team 12th best all-time; my ranking (was on the America's Game committee)was much higher.

Lane Johnson Announced Retirement. What Next?

By John Turney 

Earlier, a longtime Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, announced his retirement. The 14-year vet had been dealing with nagging injuries and perhaps more. 

Johnson said, in part via a statement on X, that, after 14 years, he had "given it my all," but that "my personal and family priorities in my life have changed” and that"it is critical that I focus on my mental health." He said he "deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year," but "my heart is telling me that it's time to say goodbye to football,” and that he had “made the incredibly difficult decision to retire from the National Football League.”

He called riding up Broad Street "as a World Champion, not once, but twice … the ultimate privilege," thanked Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles "for taking a chance on a kid from small-town East Texas," and said what matters now is "continuing to focus on my mental health and spending more time with my kids and family." He closed that "Philadelphia will always be home, and I will forever be an Eagle."

Among the first to opine what's next, football-wise, for Johnson is the Hall of Fame was respected writer Doug Farrar. he posted this on X:

Is Farrar right? How about former NFL defensive end who also was a teammate of Johnson who chimed in with this:

Maybe in theory, in the so-called "eye test," they could be right. They are relying on what they saw and, in Farrar's case, talked to. Farrar, over the years, had excellent preseason rankings that he built from his story and polling coaches and players. Kind of "Buchsbaum-esque: if you will. And Johnson always ranked high as he did in the NFL100 polls released every season. Four times he was on the list and was ranked #23 just a season ago. 

But in practice, it is unlikely Johnson will be a first-ballot candidate when he becomes eligible. The competition is too tough; the new process has not been tested to see the size of the class it will produce. And Johnson's "paper case" is not as strong as some others.

Let's start there. 

If he does not change his mind, his career stands at 14 seasons played and 171 starts, but he missed 46 games. He was injured a lot, was suspended twice and took a needed leave of absence; by Hall of Fame standards, it's a lot. 

Jackie Slater missed 44 games and that is the most among Hall of Fame tackles. When Trent Williams becomes eligible, he will be in that same neighborhood, so it's not a first-ballot negation on its face, but it's a question. But he would be at the upper end of absences from games during his career. So, the longevity "box" is not checked, or not checked strongly, like, say, a Joe Thomas, for example.

Hall-of-Fame tackles average 4 consensus All-Pro seasons and seven first- or second-team selections. Johnson has two and five, respectively. Average Pro Bowl seasons for a Gold Jacket tackle is 7.6; Johnson had six. On the other hand, Johnson has two rings; the average Hall of Fame tackle has one. So, there is that. 

All that spells Hall of Fame but does not scream "First-ballot," does it? But in general, the basic case for inclusion at some point is reasonable.

He spent all 14 seasons in Philadelphia after the Eagles took him fourth overall in 2013. He started 171 regular-season games, made six Pro Bowls, and was named All-Pro three times: first team in 2017 (AP, PFWA)  and 2022 (AP, PFWA, TSN, NFLPA), second team in 2021 (AP), 2023 (NFLPA) and 2024 (TSN). He was also second-team AP in 2023 and 2024 for those who are "AP only," and you can throw in that in 2022 he was PFF's Offensive Lineman of the Year.

He started on two Super Bowl winners, LII and LIX, and played in a third. He is the only offensive tackle in the last 25 years with multiple first-team All-Pros and multiple rings per X reports.

The pass-protection record is the part that separates him from a good tackle with honors. In the PFF era and using their measurements, he holds the tackle records for consecutive pass-block snaps without a sack (1,405, Week 11 of 2020 through Week 9 of 2023) and without a sack or quarterback hit (961). He played the island side, usually without help, against the other team’s best edge rusher. Philadelphia was a different offense when he was in the lineup. He was athletic for his position, "help or not" and had an innovative kick step that was fascinating to watch. 

The counter is real and should be stated. He was suspended four games in 2014 and ten in 2016 for performance-enhancing drugs. In a July 2019 interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark.

The full original quote: "It doesn't matter if I make 7 Pro Bowls. As far as the Hall of Fame. I don't think I deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Even if I did accomplish those things. Because of my suspensions. I don’t think it would be right."

The 2019 Tweet:

Some may agree and may treat those suspensions as disqualifying, at least for getting in right away. If players are suspended for PEDs or even the players not suspended, whoever they may be. Voters are not naive; they know Johnson is not the only one. 

Maybe someone will see Johnson's own words as a Jedi mind trick: "I am not the Hall of Famer you are looking for." Or, they may realize that Johnson played some of his best football after he said that and may not think that anymore. It's anyone's guess.

For the new voters, some who are younger than those they replaced, my look at the PFF grades. Whether that is wise or not is another question, but PFF does a decent job of tracking things like hits and hurries and conversely, hits and hurries allowed.

Here is a summation of those numbers. You can decide for yourself what weight they have in your mind. 

Here is a table of modern Hall of  Fame tackles and a select group of those not in, some not yet elible, including Lane Johnson. A "one-stop shopping" list of the "alls."

In 2032, voters will weigh the body of work—a decade as the standard right tackle, five All-Pros, two championships, and the cleanest pass-protection stretch of any tackle in the charting era— and make form their case in their heads. 

Some may have a straightforward first-ballot case. Others? Not so much. We'll see. 

Green Bay Displays Balance in Downing Tampa Bay

By Eric Goska

The Packers have sorely missed
Josh Jacobs (8) this season.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Coaches and players often talk about stacking wins.

In Tampa, Green Bay stacked running plays.

The Packers ran a season-high 25 times in defeating the Buccaneers 17-14 Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. In doing so, Green Bay increased its commitment to the ground game and avoided tying an unwanted team record.

That the Packers have struggled to run the football is no secret. Play-by-play announcer Chris Meyers and color commentator Jonathan Vilma touched on that subject throughout the game.

In the second quarter, a cutaway informed that Green Bay was the only team in the league to have had three different starting offensive line combinations. In addition, the club’s 146 rushing yards were the fewest through three games in franchise history.

Vilma, a former linebacker for the Jets and Saints, cut to the chase in the opening minutes of the game.

“And that’s (running the ball) going to be one thing I’m definitely going to be keeping an eye out on. It’s not necessarily all the rush yards for the Packers. It’s really about the rush attempts. How many times are they going to force the issue because, yes, they’re last in the league in rush yards, but they also are last in attempts.

“You have to force the issue and make these defenders believe that you’re going to run the football. That’ll open up the play-action pass for Jordan Love.”

Last in rushing attempts. That signals a coach – in this case Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur – has little confidence in his running attack.

Prior to Sunday, the Packers had only once run the ball more than two times in succession this season. That came in the third quarter of the opener in Minnesota, where MarShawn Lloyd gained 6, 4 and 1 before Chris Brooks chipped in 5 yards. Jordan Love then ended the streak when he passed to Jonnu Smith for 43 yards.

Over the next nine quarters, the Green and Gold never ran more than two times consecutively. They had six instances of two in a row in a 20-17 overtime win against the Jets and just one in a 35-14 loss to the Falcons.

Historically, when the Packers fail to string together more than two running plays in a game—let’s call them two-fers—they lose. Since 1954, the team is 9-54 (0.143) in such games (regular-season only).

The team of 2016 is the only one to have endured three consecutive two-fer games.  During those three Sundays, Green Bay demonstrated nothing more than a passing commitment to its running game (never more than two consecutive runs) in falling to the Colts, Titans and Redskins.

In Tampa, the Packers of 2026 quickly ensured they would not be lumped together with their counterparts of 10 years ago. On the team’s second possession, Brooks burst off left tackle for 27, Love scrambled for 4 and Lloyd hit right guard for no gain.

A three-fer.

Later, on the same drive, Lloyd got 1, Tucker Kraft gained 3 on a tush-push and Brooks grabbed 3 to end the first quarter.

Another three-fer.

Tucker Kraft converted fourth down
with a 3-yard push late in the first quarter.

Love then capped the advance with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden early in the second period. Nine of the 16 plays used to reach the end zone were runs.

The Packers went one better in posting their second touchdown: a 2-yard pass to Kraft that put them up 17-7. Lloyd got 5 on third-and-one before giving way to Kaleb Johnson who reeled off gains of 5, 31 and 3 yards.

And just like that, the team had its second four-fer of the season.

With his effort, Lloyd became the first Packer this season to convert a third down by rushing, another sign of how neglected the running game had become.

In the end, Green Bay’s 86 yards on 25 rushes won’t turn heads (3.4 average), but the increased workload proved enough to set up a last-minute three-for that never gets old: back-to-back-to-back kneel-downs by Love to close out a victory.

Extra Point

Sunday marked the 68^th regular-season game since 1954 in which the Packers reeled off two runs of 25 or more yards (Brooks 27; Johnson 31), but just the second in which the team failed to rush for 100 or more yards when doing so. The last sub-100 game featuring at least two runs of 25 or more yards occurred on Dec. 30, 1990, when Darrell Thompson had gains of 28 and 27 yards and Green Bay managed but 88 yards on the ground.

Noted: Jeff Van Note, Falcons Legend, Passes Away

 By John Turney 

Jeff Van Note, the Atlanta Falcons' center for 18 seasons and a six-time Pro Bowler, died Friday the 2nd of October. He was 80. No cause of death was announced.

Jeffrey Aloysius Van Note was born February 7, 1946, in South Orange, New Jersey, and played at St. Joseph Prep in Bardstown, Kentucky, where he earned all-conference honors in three sports. Next, at the University of Kentucky, he was a freshman fullback in 1965, then a defensive end on the varsity from 1966 through 1968. 

He was second-team All-SEC as a sophomore, the Wildcats’ most valuable senior in 1968, and played in the Blue-Gray Game. Kentucky later retired his jersey and placed him in its athletics Hall of Fame. In 1990, for the program’s 100th season, the Louisville Courier-Journal named him to its All-time Kentucky team.

The Falcons took him in the 11th round of the 1969 draft, 262nd overall, as a linebacker. He was said to have been drafted to back up All-Pro middle linebacker Tommy Nobis, but that career path didn't happen. He was moved to center after the first day of practice at summer camp after his coach Norm Van Brocklin called him off teh field and "handed him an offensive playbook."

 Norm Van Brocklin moved him to center, a position he had not played, and the minor league team was where he was trained to get snapping skills. So, that year, after playing in the league opener, he also played for the Alabama Hawks of the Continental Football League in Huntsville.

"I think the old man (Van Brocklin) liked that Jeff was Dutch so he gave him a chance," one teammate remarked. That makes sense. Van Brocklin had cut him only to bring him back so he could play in the first game, so the youngster could get a $2,000 bonus for being on the active roster. But he was cut again. Van Note said at the time, "He cut me twice in the same week!"

While learning a new skill, he also bulked up his weight from about 230 pounds to 244 pounds to withstand the interior line pounding. It all worked, won the job in 1970. He held it for the next 16 seasons.

Photo credit: Atlanta Falcons

Van Note played in 246 games and started 226, second on the franchise list to Mike Kenn, the club has listed his starts at 225. He missed four games in an 18-year career, was truly an iron man.

He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1974, 1975, and each year from 1979 through 1982, and was a second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press in 1979 and 1982. United Press International named him First- or Second-team All-NFC four times. Those postseason "alls" would have been higher, but it was an era filled with crest pivots. Guys like Hall-of-Famers Mick Tinglehoff, Jim Otto, Jim Langer, Mike Webster and Dwight Stepehson were vacuuming most of the All-Pro honors, leaving little but All-Conference selections.

His competitors for those All-NFC and the Pro Bowls were pretty good, too. Rich Saul and Len Hauss were grabbing slots and were usually on better teams, which seemed to matter to the writers, coaches, and players who voted for those various teams.

Photo credit: Atlanta Falcons

During his prime, he was also receiving good reviews from scouts. One independent NFL scouting organization usually gave him a high "red" grade, their second-highest category. In 1980, he was "blue," and ranked as one of the top four centers in the game. 

Green Bay-based writer Cliff Christl was another independent voice and was someone who picked his own yearly All-Pro teams, but also gathered information for scouts and opponents. In 1975, he said Van Note was the second-best center in the NFL. Hall-of-Fame coach George Allen would regularly rank opposing NFL players, keeping lists in his playbooks. One such list from 1976 showed that Van Note was listed third among all NFL centers. There's more: Buffalo News writer Larry Felser, who had a similar process, named Van Note to his 1980 All-Pro team. He thought Van Note was the best center that year. High praise and not bad for a guy who claimed he'd been cut from his Pee Wee football team. Twice, he said. 

When he went to his first Pro Bowl after the 1974 season, he did it with a chip on his shoulder. "I went to the Pro Bowl disliking just about everyone connected with the game. I knew most of the guys mostly as opponents, and I didn't like them, particularly the Dallas and Los Angeles teams, but I found they were the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet."

After he'd been in the NFL for nearly a decade, he took on more of a leadership role, being called the "glue" of a fine Falcons O-line, with young talent like Mike Kenn, R.C. Theilmann, Dave Scott and Warren Bryant (all drafted in the top three rounds) who held that unit together and helped the team become a playoff contender in the late 1970s and early 1980s. 

Down the road a few seasons, Van Note eventually became the player who "got by on guts, technique and intelligence." He was the proverbial and literal "grey beard" on the offensive line. He'd been in teh NFl since 1969 and in his final few years, he looked closer to 50 than someone in his mid-30s due to his wavy grey hair and chin whiskers and his missing front teeth.

Photo from Van Note's final season

One of the passers he protected, Kim McQuilken, summarized his venerable teammate this way: "Jeff epitomizes the old-school image that I really enjoyed. He's laid back, but he's a great leader at the same time. You always knew with Jeff that when he took out his teeth it was time to go to work. He just loves getting dirty and going to practice."

Van Note was the recipient of some good-natured ribbing from a popular X account that has over 750,000 followers called @Super70sSports in which the owner of the account, Rickey Cobb, would make a recurring joke in which he'd post a picture of Van Note in his final years and say something like he did on Mar 16, 2021—"Jeff Van Note led the NFC in 1986 in bitching about his VA benefits from the Korean War." Or, like one on Jan 7, 2024—"Jeff Van Note led the NFL in 1986 in telling World War II stories." Good stuff.

We contributed this on May 9, 2017: "Jeff Van Note was a fine center, but at times he'd go into a trance and start telling 'Nam stories" 

He snapped for quarterbacks like Bob Berry, Bob Lee, Steve Bartkowski, and David Archer and blocked for runners like Dave Hampton, William Andrews, and Gerald Riggs, all 1,000-plus runners. From 1970 through 1985, whenever a Falcons' skill player had success, Van Note was an integral part of the reason why.

Always concerned about players' rights, he was active in the NFLPA and was a vice president for a few years and then was president in 1983 and 1984. In an X post, the players' union said, "We mourn the passing of former NFLPA President Jeff Van Note, whose leadership and service helped strengthen our union. Our heartfelt condolences are with all who knew and loved him."

Jeff held on to his starting job until 1985 and the following season, when, at age 40, he played in his 246th game. It was on December 14, 1986, in his final home game at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, the Falcons honored him and gave him a '57 Chevrolet in honor of his uniform number, a fitting gesture by the Falcons' organization.

Photo credit: Atlanta Falcons

Five years later, in the franchise’s 25th season, fans voted him the club’s all-time favorite player. He entered the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Falcons Ring of Honor in 2006. In 1984, he was also inducted into the American Football Association’s Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nod to the Huntsville year. In addition, Van Note was also elected to the Professional Football Researchers Association (PFRA) Hall of Very Good as part of their class of 2023.

After he retired, he worked as a color commentator on Falcons and Kentucky broadcasts through the 1990s and into the early 2000s, and was a regular on Atlanta sports radio. In 1997, he called Tennessee Oilers games. He left the Falcons and Kentucky booths after 2003, then filled in for Georgia Tech in the fall of 2004. He stayed on Falcons radio for years after that, hosting a studio pregame show and taking calls after the game. 

In a released statement, Arthur Blank, the Falcons' owner, said Van Note "embodied toughness, resilience, humility, and an unwavering commitment to his team," and that his place in the history of the franchise was secure. He is survived by his three children, per media reports.

On behalf of his alma mater, the university released a statement that in part read, "Jeff Van Note is one of the legends of Kentucky football," said J. Batt, Kentucky's Director of Athletics. "Known for his toughness as a player and for his many years of service on our radio broadcasts, Jeff loved being a Wildcat.  His accomplishments during his long NFL career speak for themselves and he always will be a treasured part of our heritage.  Our condolences are with Jeff’s family, friends and teammates."

"Jeff was the kind of player that coaches loved because he was always fully prepared ... A true professional," fellow lifelong Falcon lineman Mike Kenn added.

A beloved figure, voted by fans as the franchise’s all-time favorite player in 1991, Van Note leaves a legacy of a fine player and even better person. He was an all-star-level player in high school, college and in the NFL and he contributed to the welfare of his fellow NFL players and stayed connected to the game through the media after he retired. 

Jeff Van Note was truly "Mr. Falcon."

It Was Bound To Happen. "Greatest Duo" Gets Hurt.

 By John Turney 

In late August, the NFL, among others, posted a meme on X asking whether the Myles Garrett–Aaron Donald pairing could be the best defensive duo ever.

We called the question ridiculous in an August 31 post. The inevitable arrived quickly. Both got hurt in the season's first month. 

Garrett first. He carried a nagging knee into the season, aggravated it in the Week 1 opener in Melbourne, and has not been right since. Donald did not play that game. In Week 3, Donald injured his back and will miss at least this week's game against the Eagles.

We like both of these players as much as anyone. The preseason hype was still over the top. We suggested letting them play a full season together before anyone judged whether they were the greatest single-season duo. They have not yet shared a healthy afternoon.

We'll check back in a few weeks, in case the next meme asks whether this is the greatest comeback by an injured duo in a season, ever.

Play the games. See what happens after. No one knows the future, and no one can predict much of anything—least of all whether someone will be the greatest anything.

TUESDAY TIDBITS: "We'll win that one for the title"

By TJ Troup  

This past Sunday was chock-full of close, hard-fought, exciting games. We can all hope this continues so 2026 can be one helluva season for all of us. Every statistic in football is meaningful, yet some are more important/significant than others. 

Forty years ago it was first communicated by Steve Sabol, sharing the win percentage when a team returns an interception for a touchdown. All these years later and when a player returns a "pick" his team wins about 80% of the time. That stat was probably not going through Kain Medrano's mind as he dashed 50 yards to seal the victory for the 'Skins.... oops! 

Kain Medrano

Commanders in their win over the defending SB champions. Allan Malamud was an insightful, superb writer whose column "Notes on a Scorecard" was must-reading in the early '90s, and though cannot compare (nor am I trying to), today's column might seem similar? Most folks believe the Chargers have a strong team and their defense Sunday recorded 4 sacks and 5 takeaways, and LOST! You won't see that happen very often this year. 

Ok, folks what team has surprised you the most this year and why? October 4th, 1964 the Patriots are in Denver before 15,485 for a dominating 39-10 win over the Broncos. AFL All-Star Gino Cappellletti sets a pro football record as he kicks 6 field goals in 6 attempts in one game. Cappy's six field goals are in the first three quarters of the game as Boston builds a 25-0 lead. 

The punishing Patriots defense will allow Denver only 53 yards rushing, and averages just 82 yards a game all season. Boston bruiser Larry Eisenhauer leads a pass rush that records 8 sacks. In their last 24 games, the Patriots have had just one 100-yard rusher, but today halfback J.D. Garrett pounds out 121 yards on 12 carries to key the offense. The Patriots' highlight film of '64 Bob Gallagher states that Cappelletti is "ever dependable," and after four weeks Cappy was on pace to attempt 70 field goals! 

Gino Cappelletti

Later in the season at Buffalo, the Pats beat Buffalo 36-28. Rookie Oliver Dobbins was beaten easily by Cappy for the final touchdown in the victory(his 3rd of the game). Babe Parilli is quoted after the game "It's going to go down to the final day of the race when the Bills come to play us at Boston, and we'll win that one for the title". 

We all know that the Bills claimed their first outright division title on that artic afternoon 24-14, yet boy oh boy what a season for Cappelletti by scoring 155 points in fourteen games. 

Today begins the baseball playoffs, and sure wish had Malamud to share his thoughts on the White Sox series against the Astros, especially since the last White Sox World Series Title came at the expense of Houston. Enjoy the games!

One-Two Punch Kayos Green Bay in Home Opener

By Eric Goska

The Packers were dealt a one-two punch Thursday night unlike any they had absorbed in more than a century of playing professional football.

So effective was the combination that it ranks among the most productive in NFL history.

The Atlanta Falcons dominated Green Bay on the ground and through the air in administering a 35-14 beatdown at Lambeau Field. Not only did the victory halt the Packers string of successful home openers at 13, it left the Green and Gold with far more questions than answers.

Top of the list: How to tighten a defense that hemorrhaged 498 yards. Also: How to ensure two players – no matter how talented – don’t account for 80 percent of that total.

Bijan Robinson pounded out 194 yards rushing on 29 carries. Drake London soared for 194 yards on nine receptions.

The two supplied 16 of Atlanta’s 25 first downs. They accounted for 11 of the Falcons’ 13 offensive plays of 10-plus yards.

Robinson ripped off a 55-yard run on the Falcons’ first drive to six points. London snagged passes of 68 and 40 yards on consecutive advances to set up Atlanta’s final two touchdowns.

Mr. Robinson averaged 6.7 yards a carry. Mr. London averaged 21.6 yards a catch.

The tandem earned those titles of respect due to their superlative performances.

Over the years, of course, Green Bay has helped many backs extract 150 or more yards rushing (51 instances) at its expense. It has enabled many wideouts to secure 150 or more receiving yards (54 occurences).

What the club has never done is dole out 400 scrimmage yards to two players in the same game. Robinson (213) and London (194) commandeered 407.

London, selected eighth overall in the 2022 draft by Atlanta, and Robinson, taken in the same spot a year later by the team, have played in 48 regular-season games together. In 18 of those, they combined for more than 200 yards from scrimmage.

Prior to Thursday, they had twice accumulated more than 300. Their best effort had been a 396-yard outing in a 24-14 takedown of Buffalo last season.

The Packers, generous to a fault, allowed the duo to crack 400. In doing so, Green Bay joins seven other teams – Oilers (1963), Giants (1965), Colts (1972), Dolphins (1976), Lions (2007), Raiders (2015) and Eagles (2018) – to have permitted such shenanigans and it, like the others, paid the price with a loss.

This comes with one proviso that I neglected to mention in my original post. In reaching 400, each player must have contributed at least 175 yards to the cause; that is, one player did not supply a disproportionate amount of the total. Essentially, both athletes were equal in what they brought to the one-two punch.

Extra Point

The Packers did not rush once in the fourth quarter, opting instead to pass on all 22 of their offensive plays in the final 15 minutes. Since 1953, Green Bay is 1-14 in regular-season games in which it completely abandons the running game after 45 minutes of play.

The 400 Club
The eight times two teammates accounted for 400 or more yards from scrimmage in one regular-season game in NFL history. Each player must have contributed at least 175 yards to the cause. (list generated using Stathead at Pro-Football-Reference)

Yds   Tandem                                                                         Team              Date
531   Antonio Brown (306)-DeAngelo Williams (225)       Steelers         Nov. 8, 2015
481   Art Powell (247)-Clem Daniels (234)                           Raiders          Dec. 22, 1963
442   Kevin Curtis (221)-Brian Westbrook (221)                 Eagles            Sept. 23, 2007
414   Ernie Green (222)-Jim Brown (192)                             Browns          Nov. 14, 1965
410   Ron Jessie (220)-Lawrence McCutcheon (190)         Rams              Oct. 3, 1976
409   Amari Cooper (217)-Ezekiel Elliott (192)                    Cowboys       Dec. 9, 2018
407   Bijan Robinson (213)-Drake London (194)                Falcons          Sept. 24, 2026
401   Rich Caster (204)-Eddie Bell (197)                               Jets                Sept. 24, 1972